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The MMA Chain Gang: A Depressing Review of 2011?s Criminal Activities

Most ‘crimes’ in MMA take the form of inept judging and flagrant rule breaking, but this past year many professional fighters were caught up in activities that landed them inside of a very different sort of cage. Get ready for a trip down memory lane in our most depressing “booking roundup” of the year. Here’s your run down of 2011’s biggest arrests, convictions, acquittals, and sentencings.

Random Assaults

Ben Fodor (aka“Phoenix Jones”)

Elements of the Crime: You almost get the feeling that some of the fighters on this list go looking for trouble. In the case of Ben Fodor, that’s entirely accurate. The brother of Strikeforce fighter Caros Fodor, Ben has only had one professional fight, preferring instead to wage his battles on the mean streets of Seattle under the moniker “Phoenix Jones”. The would-be super hero tried to break up a street fight earlier this year by dosing the parties with pepper spray. In addition to enraging the “bad guys”, Fodor’s actions caught the attention of local authorities. It turns out that when you pepper spray a crowd you’re committing a crime, unless you have a written note from Commissioner Gordon.

The Charges: Assault

The Sentence: Though Fodor was summoned to court, no charges were filed.

Career Fallout: Well, a fighting career isn’t really his focus. His crime-fighting career, however, may have taken a hit. Jones’s ‘super-secret’ identity was revealed as a function of the court process. Now anyone he’s ever loved is at risk.

Ricco Rodriguez

Elements of the Crime: When Ricco Rodriguez wants to party, Ricco Rodriguez wants to party. It’s caused him plenty of trouble in his life, from becoming the first UFC fighter suspended for coke abuse to a little incident where he dragged his not-quite-yet-dead girlfriend’s body behind the wheel of his wrecked car. After an appearance on “Celebrity Rehab”, things were looking up for the former champ, but then he short changed a cab driver after being dropped off a bar and slammed the cabbie to the ground when he called the authorities. Unfortunately “Suave” hadn’t calmed down by the time the cops arrived; as they tried to place him under arrest, he shoved one of them into the wall.

The Charges: Assault and resisting arrest

The Sentence: N/A

Career Fallout: None. In fact, after the incident he picked up his twelfth win and competed in Bellator where Seth Petruzelli put him into the sort of delirious state he’d normally lie, cheat, or steal for.

Hong Man Choi

Elements of the Crime: Compared to most of the drunken women that fell prey to MMA fighters this year, Hong Man Choi’s victim got off pretty easy. The 20 year old refused to pay what she considered to be an inflated tab after having drinks at the K1 & MMA fighter’s pub in Gwangjin, Korea. Choi was said to have punched the woman after she cursed at him during their brief argument. The 7’2” giant admitted to pushing the woman aside after she had struck him, but no more.

The Charges: Assault, Scaring small children

The Sentence: Both parties were able to reach a private settlement in the matter. Choi did not face any legal action.

Career Fallout: If fighting Jose Canseco doesn’t kill your career, nothing can, bruh.

Junie Browning

Elements of the Crime: Attention whore Junie Browning came correct with a dramatic, last minute entry to our rap-sheet wrap-up. The aptly-named “Lunatik” took a break from training in Phuket, Thailand to have a few drinks with friends at a local watering hole. Trouble must have a passport, because it promptly tracked Junie down and a massive bar, street, and hospital brawl ensued. What exactly prompted the melee and who was the aggressor is a matter of whose story you believe. It’s your classic case of “drunken-insane-MMA-washout-said/drunken-bar-owner-potential-plane-bomber-said. What we do know is that Browning went into hiding, either from authorities or the Thai mafia. More details poured in, but they hardly shed light on the matter.

The Charges: Multiple assault charges

The Sentence: In the midst of a massive manhunt, Junie turned himself in to authorities, who opted to work with both parties to find a resolution to the squab rather than press criminal charges. Thus far those efforts have proven fruitless.

Career Fallout: Junie only fought once in 2011, picking up his fourth straight loss on a regional card in Albuquerque, New Mexico. While this recent legal dust-up won’t endear him to any big league promoters, neither will his fighting.

Smack Talk is Against Brett Rogers’ Probation Conditions

(“Well old sport, I look forward to matching skills with you in the chain link-enclosed competition area.”)

According to a report from the Apple Valley Patch, Brett Rogers could land himself back in the clink if he breaches any one of his several probation requirements when he is released from jail later this month.

Most notably, “Da Grim” is forbidden from participating in “assaultive or intimidating behavior toward anyone,” which means that telling his upcoming DREAM opponent Tim Sylvia that he was going to “hurt, maim, or kill” him would be contrary to the terms of his release.

(“Well old sport, I look forward to matching skills with you in the chain link-enclosed competition area.”)

He will also be required to submit a DNA sample to the national registry, complete a domestic abuse education program and will be monitored for chemical dependency — namely alcohol which is said to have fueled his attack on his wife. He will also have no contact with his wife until he is authorized to do so by the treatment program and his probation officer, meaning he probably won’t see his family at Christmas.

If Rogers meets all of the requirements, he will not have a criminal record, since all of the charges were reduced from felonies to misdemeanors.

His lawyer, Murad Mohammad released the following statement regarding his client’s sentencing:

“We are pleased with the result. Obviously we wanted no jail time but given the circumstances it could have gone a lot worse,” he wrote. “We are thankful that the judge agreed with some of our major points. The bottom line is Brett will walk out of this without a felony [after fulfilling the conditions of his probation] and that is what is important.”

Maybe we’re wrong, but isn’t what is important is that his wife can rest assured that something like this is never going to occur again?

Here are Rogers’ complete probation conditions:

No assaultive or intimidating behavior toward anyone
Complete a domestic abuse education program
Submit to chemical dependency evaluation
Submit to random chemical testing
Provide a DNA sample
No contact with wife until authorized by treatment program and probation department

Chael Sonnen ‘Should Be in Jail,’ According to Anderson Silva’s Manager

By now, most people have heard what UFC middleweight Chael Sonnen thinks of the middleweight champion Anderson Silva. If not, here is a sample of what Sonnen said about the leading pound-for-pound fighter while appearing on Mauro Ranallo’s The MM…

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Chael Sonnen ‘Should Be in Jail,’ According to Anderson Silva’s Manager

Lee Murray’s Prison Sentence Increased from 10 to 25 Years

("I think it’s cool, but do you think the judge will find it as ironic as we do, Lee?")
It looks like Lee Murray will be behind bars longer than he thought.
According to a BBC report, the former UFC fighter who was named as the mastermind beh…

("I think it’s cool, but do you think the judge will find it as ironic as we do, Lee?")

It looks like Lee Murray will be behind bars longer than he thought.

According to a BBC report, the former UFC fighter who was named as the mastermind behind the 2006 $85 million (USD) Securitas heist in London had 15 years tacked onto his 10 year sentence today following a brief hearing in Rabat, Morocco where he has been held since being arrested in the North African country for importing drugs, whereupon authorities discovered he was wanted in connection to the UK robbery.

Murray fled England with right hand man and fellow MMA fighter, Paul Allen who was sentenced to 18 years in jail two years after being extradited back to London in 2007 when the pair were arrested outside of a mall in Morocco.

"Lightning" managed to avoid extradition because his father was a Moroccan national, but he couldn’t avoid the stiffer jail sentence he was handed down today.

War Machine Big House Blog 13: Guard Beatings, Herpes and Pirates

("Maybe if I give myself a black eye nobody will notice.")
I gotta be honest, War Machine’s blogs are starting to seem a bit halfhearted these days.
Maybe we need to get someone on the inside a la Michael Scofield to shake things up a b…

("Maybe if I give myself a black eye nobody will notice.")

I gotta be honest, War Machine’s blogs are starting to seem a bit halfhearted these days.

Maybe we need to get someone on the inside a la Michael Scofield to shake things up a bit. Do we have any unemployed members of the Potato Nation in San Diego with eight months to spare who are looking to make a few bucks?

I don’t know if I can stand to read about War’s herpes outbreaks and the number of continuous push-ups he can do for the next eight months, so we would make it worth your while.

Here’s the latest, and arguably the most disinterested prison journal entry to date by the fighter once known as "little Jonny Koppenhaver" after the jump.

War Machine Big House Blog 4&5: Mooches, Masturbation and Sex with a Sandwich

(When War gets his photos done at Sears, he always turns to the side out of habit.)
Apparently most MMA outlets were like us in thinking that since War Machine got sat down by the District Attorney in his case who used his tweets about drugs and booze …

(When War gets his photos done at Sears, he always turns to the side out of habit.)

Apparently most MMA outlets were like us in thinking that since War Machine got sat down by the District Attorney in his case who used his tweets about drugs and booze against him, that the fighter formerly known as Jon Koppenhaver was done with Twitter since nobody has written anything about him in a while.

I hadn’t checked out Machine’s page in a while, but it came up as a friend suggestion on my personal account the other day, so I clicked it and was pleasantly surprised that he is back blogging about his exploits in jail.

I’ve got to admit, I was kind of disappointed with the latest edition. I clicked on it expecting to read about how to make a shank out of a toothbrush and instead, I get War talking about how often he masturbates and how he’s thinking of fucking a bologna sandwich. Remind me never so eat lunch with him if I interview him in person after his release (no pun intended).

Maybe it’s because his lawyer is censoring his posts, but last week’s entry seems somewhat subdued.

Here’s what’s going on with War Machine who has only been behind bars one month, which means we only have 48 more of these recaps.